We Will Boycott America, Not The World Cup – Iran FA Chief, Taj

The president of Iran’s football federation, Mehdi Taj, has rejected calls to pull Iran out of the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup even as he called for a “boycott of the United States” amid escalating political tensions.

On Thursday, 19 March 2026, Taj said Iran will continue preparing for the global tournament which is being hosted jointly in the United States, Mexico and Canada from 11 June to 19 July but will refuse to play matches on U.S. soil, insisting that “we will boycott America, but not the World Cup.”

His comments come after former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly raised safety concerns for the Iranian national team should they travel to the U.S. for their group stage fixtures against New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt in Los Angeles and Seattle. Tehran has since opened talks with FIFA to relocate those matches to Mexico, with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressing readiness to host Iran’s games if required.

Despite the political dispute, Iran’s football authorities have emphasised they do not intend to withdraw from the World Cup outright, aiming instead to find a solution that allows them to compete while avoiding playing in the United States.

The situation illustrates how geopolitics (including ongoing regional hostilities involving the U.S. and Iran) is intersecting with major international sporting events, forcing football’s governing bodies into delicate diplomatic negotiations.